These Women Were the Unsung Heroes of the Black Panther Party

When we look back at the history of the Black Panther Party we often see the male leaders and the movements/protests they did, but as we discussed in class women also played an important role in the making of this party. The video “These Women Were the Unsung Heroes of the Black Panther Party”, tells us that in fact women played a very important political role and as well were the ones who recruited many members of the party. Elaine Brown was the Chairwoman of the Black Panther Party from 1974-77, she was a skilled editor for The Black Panther. She founded multiple nonprofits aimed at bettering the Justice System, one key one is the NARPR, the National Alliance for Radical Prison Reform, which helps prisoners after they have been realized. Kathleen Cleaver is another important woman role model, she would join the group when she married Eldridge Claver, she would work as the National Communications Secretary and helped in the release of Huey P. Newton. Later sadly she would leave due to experiencing a lot of misogyny within the Black Panther group. Nevertheless, women played a very important and powerful role in the creating, building, and expanding of the Black Panther Party.